Machine for making bale-ties.



No. 606,660. PATBNTED Nov. 20, 1006. 0. B. Pos-T..

MACHINE FOR MAKING BALB TIES. APPLIOATION FILED' 1060.21, 1905.

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PATENTED NOV. 20, 1906.

C. B. POST.

MACHINE FOR MAKING. kBALB TIES.

APPLICATION FILED D110. 21, 1905.

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y C. B. POST. MAGHINE EUR MAKING BALB TIES.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.21,1905.-

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIOE.

CHARLES B. POST, OF NEW LONDON, OHIO.

MACHINE FOR MAKING BALE-TIES.

To all whom, t muy concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES B. PosT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New London, county of Huron, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Making Bale- Ties, of which I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which the invention appertains to'make and use the same.

The objects of the invention are to provide a machine for forming a loop in one extremity of a straight wire adapted for use as a Hbaletie and suitable for fastening any bale of goods, such as cotton, hay,- straw, shavings, or other compressedpackages.

The invention comprises also means for straightening the wire and loop and for arranging the ties vin packages containing a predetermined number thereof ready to be tied and stored or shipped away for use.

The invention consists in instrumentalities for feeding the wire under tension, for cutting the wire into strips of uniform length, for forming the loop at one end of each' strip, for twisting the free end about the tire-wire, for seizing and drawing the wire forward, and for stretching the same to tighten the loop and straighten the wire and for releasing the completed device.

It consists, further, in the combination and arrangement of parts and construction of the various details, as hereinafter described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device, showing an endless chain and moving carrier in the act of drawing forward the wire. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is-an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the machine, showing the twister, bending or looping pin, knives, and tension-vises for holding the wire and operating gears and cams. Fig. 4 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 42l is a plan view of bending device. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the device on center line of the axis of the driving sprocket-wheel, Fig. 4. Fig; 6 is an enlarged transverse section on center line of the axis of the driving sprocket-wheel, Fig. 4, showing the operating lever and cam for the cutting-knife. Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are respectively plan, end, and side views of the Specification of Letters Patent. 4Application led December 21, 1905. Serial No. 292,735.

Patented Nov. 20, 1906.

carrier and pin which draws the loop and wire through the machine. Fig. 10 `is a face view of the main cam-wheel, showing the various lcams upon its surface and the intermittent gears. Fig. 11 isa view of the opposite faces of these wheels. Fig. 12 is a transverse section of the knife sleeve and wrist. Fig.

and Fig. 14 is an edge view thereof. Fig. 15 is a detail view of the carrier in the act of engagingthe loop in the wire.

In the views, 1 is a suitable bed-plate which can be adjusted to make the wire ties of more than one length, if desired.

2 and 3 are sprocket-wheels, one at each end of the machine, upon which is the endless chain f 4, which supports the carrier 5, provided with the bent hook or pin 6, which is adapted to engage with the loop 7 of the wire and pull it forward to the outer end of the machine.

The wire w enters between the tensionrolls 8, and the loop formed in the end thereof is seized by the hook 6 as the carrier 5 passes upward about the sprocket wheel 2, as shown in Fig. 4a. Then as the chain moves forward the wire is dragged with it until it reaches the opposite end of the machine just before reaching the center of the sprocketwheel 3. At this moment the tension or vise arm 9 clamps the wire a ainst a die 10 and holds it firmly from furt er forward movement. Since, however, the chain and carrier are passing around the sprocket 3, the wire will 1 be stretched tight and made perfectlystraight under the tension and the loop will be tightened and made perfectly even as the carrier arrives at the center of the sprocket. The movement ofthe carrier continues somewhat below the center of the sprocket-wheel and far enough to relieve the wirefrom strain, so that when it is subsequently cut by the knives it is prevented from snapping or flymove to cut the wire against the corresponding stationary blade 12, thus releasing the Wire at one end, and at the other end the pivoted plate 13 on the carrier will scrape the loop off from the hook, so as to drop the wire at the other end, so that it is permitted to fall into the brackets 14, set at the side of the frame to receive it. This pivoted plate 13 is moved to dischar e the loop by means of the pin 15, set in the frame in the path of the finger 16 l upon the plate, and a coiled spring 17 returns 13 is a rearelevation of the counting device,

ing away. At this moment the knife lfliwiflly f ICO the plate to position. (See Figs. 7, 8, and 9, which show the carrier when on sprocketwheel 3.) When one wire tie has been cut off, the straight end of the wire remaining projects beyond the twister-pin 18 and passes at one side of it.

The bender of looper pin or roller 18 is shown in Figs. 2 and 4 to lie on the opposite side of the'wire and obtains an outward and rearward movement about the twister-pin 18, which bends the wire about the pin and brings its free end parallel with the, wire. The twister then rotates and winds the end about the wire and returns to the horizontal position, and while the loop is being twisted the roller-vise 19 holds the wire firmly against a die 20, so that it cannot move.

The looping and twisting movements follow closely the cutting off of the wire tie, and the vises for stretching and for holding the wire while being twisted operate one quickly after the other, so that there is no cessation in forming loops, pulling out the wire ties and stretching them, and cutting them off and releasing them so longas the machine is in operation.

As soon as the loop is formed and the loose end twisted about the wire and the loop recovers the horizontal position the hook 6 in the carrier 5 will be in the exact position to enter the loop from below and to carry forward another wire tie, which operation is continuously repeated as long as the machine is in operation.

The cam-wheel 25 is the source from which the important movements of the machine arise. This wheel is mounted upon the transverse shaft 26 and moves in unison with the spur-gear 27 on the same shaft, which is rotated by means of idler-pinion 28 and pinion v29 on the sprocket-wheel shaft 30. The idler is required to give the required direction of movement to the cam-wheel. On the outer edge of the cam-wheel is shown a toothed segment 24 of about one-third of the circumference. This drives an intermittentl gear 31, which in turn drives a pair of bevelgears 32 and 33, one of which is on a shaft 34, upon which the twister 35 and twisting-pin 18 are secured. This gives a rotary movement of the pin to twist the end of the wire to form the loop during one-third of the revolution of the cam-wheel. While the twisting is in motion, the marginal cam 36 engages the roller 37 and rocks the shaft 38 to depress the roller vise 19 and hold the wire firmly. The second marginal cam 39 operates, through a roller 40, a similar rock-shaft 41 and vise-arm 9, which holds the wire before it is cut to stretch and straighten it. Both of these vises operate during a period of ractically one-third of the revolution o the wheel. The looping pin or roller 18 is attached to an arm 42 upon a link 43, which has its outer end pivoted to one end ofthe bell-crank lever 44, which is operated by means of the cam 45 upon the face of the cam-wheel. A roller 46 prevents friction. As the link swings backward and forward it is guided to give the required movement to the bending-pin by means of the guidingslot 47 in the supporting-plate 48, thus taking the path indicated by dotted lines' in Fig. 4 about the twisting-pin and as shown in Fig. 41. The cam is placed to operate the bending or looping pin just before the carrieriook rises upon the sprocket 2 to seize the oop.

The cam which operates the knife is shown more clearly in Figs. 5 and 6, where 49 is the dog, which is secured to the cam-wheel 25, and 5() is an arm secured to the sleeve 51, upon which the knife 11 is secured, thus moving the knife to cut against the stationary blade 12 once in every revolution of the cam-wheel. The stationary blade is set upon a wrist 52, which is secured to the standard 53, and a slot 54 permits the blade to project through the oscillating sleeve 51. The rotating shaft 34 of the twister passes through the stationary wrist 52.

One of the tension-rolls 8 is mounted upon a tipping bearing 55, so arranged that if the tension becomes too intense the bearing will tip by means of the lpull upon the wire and will push forward the shifting rod 56, which moves the shifter 57 and moves the drivingbelt 58 onto the idler 59 and stops the machine at once. A

The counting device is shown more clearly in Figs. 1, 13, and 14, where 60 is the revolving dial, 61 is a worm-wheel on the dialshaft, 62 is a worm on a shaft to which is attached the feed-star 63. The rays of this star project in the path of the wire when under tension just before it is cut, and hence the wire in passing the dial will rotate the rays to indicate its passage.

An important requisite in this machine is that one complete revolution of the camplete revolution of each sprocket-wheel and chain, since all movements are reproduced at constantly-recurring intervals.

Tn case the chain is lengthened or shortened to provide for a longer or shorter bale-tie the driving-gearing must be. modified so as to cause the times of complete revolution of the cam-wheel and chain to correspond.

Referring to the gures again, it will be seen that the roller 19 is not only used temporarily as a vise to hold the wire and its loose end firmly while the loop is being-twisted, but also serves as a roller to permit the wire to curve upward as the loop is seized by the tooth 6 and carried upward over the wheel 2, since the tooth enters the loop from below. In this manner the body of the wire remains in the horizontal position and the roller reduces the friction thereon.

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wheel should exactly coincide with one com- An important feature of the invention is the automatic action of the wire when stretched tightly between the dies or clamps 9 and 10 and the outer edge of the sprocketwheel 3 to move the arms or rays of the star 63 in the counting device. At the time when the wire is raised to the top of the sprocketwheel 3 it bears upon and is guided by the roller-die. 19. The particular advantage of this action and the source of power for the counting device is seen to lie in the fact that the counting device is not operated unless a wire is discharged, and hence, having no mechanical connection with moving parts of the machine, will not go on counting or indicating, but will cease to move as soon as the wire ceases to be fed into the machine.

This device is applicable to all classes of machines in which linear objects of wire are constructed.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isy l. In a bale-tie machine, means for stretching the wire, means for relieving the tension on the wire after it has been stretched, and cutting means for severing the Wire after it has been released substantially as described.

2. In a bale-tie machine, the combination with loop-forming mechanism, of a stretching device arranged to engage the loop and stretch the wire before it is cut, means for relieving the` tension on the stretched wire, and a cutter arranged to sever the wire after its tension has been relieved; substantially as described.

3. In a bale-tie machine, an endless carrier having means for engaging the loop of the tie before the latter has been severed from the wire, a wheel over which said carrier passes, a holding device for gripping the wire while engaged by the carrier, cutting means for severing the wire, and mechanism arranged to operate the cutting means after that point of the carrier which is engaged with the loop of the wire has passed beyond the center ofthe wheel g substantially as described.

4. In a bale-tie machine, an endless carrier having a laterally-projecting loop-engaging hook, a wheel over which the carrier passes, means for gripping the wire, a cutter, and means for operating the cutter after the loopengaging hook has passed beyond the center of the wheel; substantially as described.

5. In abale-tie machine, devices forbending or looping the wire and for twisting the loop, a cutting device, a wire-gripping device, an endless carrier having a loop-engaging hook, a wheel over which the carrier passes, and means for operating the cutting device after the loop-engaging hook has passed beyond the center of the wheel; substantially as described.

6. In a bale-tie machine, an endless carrier having a loop-engaging hook, a tension device for the wire, a loo -forming device, la twisting device, means or holding the wire while the loop is being twisted, a stretcher arranged to stretch the wire before it is out, and means for relieving the tension on the wire before cutting 5 substantially as described.

7. In a machine for the purpose described, instrumentalities for looping the wire, a stretching device comprising a carrier, adapted to engage the loop of the wire, a wheel over which said carrier passes, a gripping device adapted to engage and hold said wire and to operate slightly before the carrier reaches its eXtreme point of travel beyond the gripping device, and instrumentalities adapted to operate to release the loop and cut off the wire substantially as described.

8. In a machine for making a bale-tie having a loop in one end, in combination, a device for bending the wire, a twisting device, a device for holding the free end and body of the wire while the loop is being twisted, a carrier adapted to engage the loop and draw the wire forward to the required length a gripping device arranged to engage and hold the wire, just before it has reached the limit of travel, whereby the wire is stretched and straightened, .and devices for releasing the loop from the carrier and for cutting off the wire; substantially as described.

9. In a machine for making a bale-tie, having a loop in one end, in combination, a device for bending the wire to form a loop, a twisting device, an endless carrier adapted to engage the loop and to draw the wire forward to the required length, wheels upon which the carrier is mounted, and a vise adapted to engage the wire as its forward end arrives at a point near the vertical center of the said outer wheel, whereby the movement of this part of the wheel to the horizontal position will stretch the wire substantially as del scribed.

10. In a machine for making abale-tie having a loop in one end, in combination, a device for bending the wire to form a loop, a twisting device, an endless carrier adapted to engage the loop and to draw the wire forward to the required length, outer and inner sprocketwheels upon which the carrier is mounted, a vise adapted to engage the wire as its forward end arrives substantially at the vertical center of the said outer sprocket-wheel, whereby the movement of this part of the wheel to the horizontal position will stretch Vthe wire, a releasing device for the loop located below the center of the said outer sprocket-wheel, whereby the strain upon the wire will be relaxed as the wheel continues to rotate, and a cutting device for the other end of the wire organized to operate as soon as the strain is removed from the wire 5 substantially as described.

11. In a bale-tie machine, the combination with loop-forming. means, of stretching means IVO ' point of travel beyond the holding-vise, and

comprising a carrier arranged-to engage the loop, a gripping device, and means Jfor releasing the gripping device after the carrier has brought the loop to a position below the center oi the Wheel 3 substantially as described.

12. In a machine for the purpose described, instrumentalities for looping the wire, for drawing the same longitudinally through the machine, a stretching device comprising a carrier, adapted to engage said loop, a wheel over which said carrier passes, a vise adapted to engage and hold sai'd wire and to operate slightly before the carrier reaches its eXtreme instrumentalities adapted to operate simultaneously for releasing the loop and cutting off the wire, substantially as described.

13. In a machine for making a bale-tie, having a loop in one end, in combination, a device for bending the wire, a twisting device, a device Jfor holding the free end and body of the wire while the loop is being twisted, a carrier adapted to engage the loop and draw the wire Jforward to the required length, a vise arranged to engage and hold the Wire just before it has reached the limit of travel, whereby the wire is stretched and straightened, and devices for releasing the loop from the carrier and for simultaneously cutting ofi the wire, substantially as described.

14. In a bale-tie machine, the combination with means for forming a loop or eye on the wire, of an endless carrier having means for engagement with the loop or eye, and means for holding the wire whereby it is stretched by the movement of the carrier; substantially as described.

15. In a baletie machine, the combination with means for forming a loop in the wire, a y twister for twisting the loop, and a vise for A holding the wire while being twisted, and cam meansior eriodically opening and closing the vise; sulgstantially as described.

16. In a bale-tie machine, a driven camwheel having a toothed segment, twisting means geared to said segment to be intermittently operated thereby, and loop-forming devices operated from the same cam-wheel; substantially as described.

17. In a bale-tie machine, a driven camwheel, loop-forming and loop-twisting devices connected to said cam-wheel and alternately operated thereby, a vise for holding the wire while being cut, connections between said vise and the cam-wheel to periodically open and close the same, a movable cutter, and means whereby said cutter is periodically actuated by said cam; substantially as described.

18. In a bale-tie machine, loop forming and twisting devices, an endless carrier arranged to engage the formed loop and to draw the wire forward to the required length, wheels uponwhich the carrier is mounted, a gripping device arranged to engage the wire as its forward end arrives at a point near the vertical center of the outer wheel, whereby the movement of this part of the wheel will stretch the wire and its movement beyond this point'will release and relax the tension on the wire, a cutting device arranged to operate after the tension is thus relaxed, and means for disengaging the loop from the carrier substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand this 1st day of November, 1905.

CHARLES B. POST.

Witnesses:

WM. M. MONROE, GEO. S. COLE. 

